City Issues Statement on Trump Administration’s Proposed Cuts to Programs for People with Disabilities
PHILADELPHIA – The Trump Administration has proposed a budget that would cut tens of millions of dollars in federal funding for the Special Olympics and other programs that support people with disabilities — including several that support our blind and deaf and hard of hearing communities. The Mayor’s Commission on People with Disabilities, who partnered with the Special Olympics in 2018 on their Cities of Inclusion Summit, and Commissioner for the Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual disABILITY Services, David T. Jones, released the following statement on the proposed cuts:
“We are saddened and concerned by the Trump Administration’s proposed cuts to funding for the Special Olympics and other programs that support people with disabilities. These proposed cuts are yet another step in a consistent series of attempts to take funding away from programs that are invaluable to the disabilities community. The Special Olympics provide an opportunity for people with disabilities to demonstrate their exceptional abilities, while also building community and promoting a lifestyle of health and wellness. Our residents with disabilities deserve better from the people leading this country. We urge the Trump Administration to reconsider their proposal to cut funding to such important programs for people with disabilities, and instead challenge them to find further ways to expand capacity and build support for our community overall.”